SFF PC build - advice on components

[BananaTiger]

Hi all

I've been out of the PC building scene for a while now, with my current machine being a celeron 600 @900! Anyway, it's time to get a more powerful machine which is mainly going to be for media, and for photo editing primarily (lightroom and photoshop). I've narrowed my bits to the following (all from Scan apart from the case). Can anyone offer any tweaks? Should I go quad or duo? Do I need Vista 64-bit?


Thermaltake VF6000BWS LanBox Lite Black micro atx case

Corsair VX 450W ATX PSU

GIGABYTE GA-G33M-DS2R LGA 775 Intel G33 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

Intel Core 2 Quad-Core Q6600 G0 SLACR, 95W, S775, 2.40 GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 8MB Cache, OEM
or
Intel Core 2 Duo E4600, S775, 2.4 GHz, 800MHz FSB, 2MB Cache, Retail

Thermaltake Blue Orb II CPU Cooler

Corsair 2x2GB TwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC2-6400 (800), 240 Pins, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 5-5-5-18

Hitachi 160 Gb HGST 0A32728 Deskstar T7K160, SATA300, 7200 rpm, 8MB Cache, 8.5 ms
(system drive)

Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB SATA2 16MB 7200RPM
(data drive)

Optiarc AD-7191S-0B 20x DVD±R, 8x DVD±DL, DVD+RW x8/-RW x6, x12 DVD-RAM SATA Lightscribe Black

AKASA 3.5" AK-ICR-01E Internal Multi Memory card reader Black

Cherry G85-23000GB-2 Stream Ultra Flat Multimedia Wired Keyboard, PS2/USB 1.1/2.0, Black

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64Bit 1Pk OEM




Thanks in advance

 

[Tallyberto]

what graphics card?

 

[booyaka]

quad for sure - much more future proof.
also would cosider the gigabyte p35 ds3r as it's compatible with ddr2 and ddr3 ram aswell as the new/next set of 45nm intel cpu's.

looks good otherwise

 

[BananaTiger]

what graphics card?

Haven't included a gfx card as the motherboard has on-board video. From some blurb, it's an Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3100 (Intel GMA 3100). No idea if it's any good though, but I was told that for photos and watching movies, a 2d on-board controller was good enough. You think I need a dedicated card?

 

[BananaTiger]

quad for sure - much more future proof.
also would cosider the gigabyte p35 ds3r as it's compatible with ddr2 and ddr3 ram aswell as the new/next set of 45nm intel cpu's.

Don't think I can use the gigabyte p35 ds3r motherboard as it's an atx form factor board, and the case I have is only micro-atx

 

[anthony.s]

I've just built a SFF HTPC using -

Shuttle SD30G2B
E6400 2.13Ghz
2Gb DDR2
HIS HD2600XT with HDMI with passive cooling
LG GGC-H20L BluRay/HD-DVD/DVDRW combo

This PC is virtually silent and plays HD-DVD and BR @1080p.
If you really want quad there is the SD31G available although I don't see the point this generation.
The E6400 is very overclockable. 3Ghz+ is easily acheivable.

 

[BananaTiger]

Don't think I can go for the shuttle since it's only got two 3.5" drive bays. Would like two internal and one external at least - for two hard drives (one for os and one for data) and a memory card reader. I suppose I could get a usb drive external memory card reader but it would be nice to have everything in the case. Plus the motherboard has e-sata support which sounds pretty cool and would be good for backing up my data drive onto another drive.

My question is do I need a graphics card for photo editing on a largish screen (20" - 24"). If so, are there any short lengthed and budget cards I can use with the lanbox case?

Also, I've seen this case

Antec NSK3480-EC Micro ATX Tower, 92mm fans, 380W PSU
http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/ki.aspx?sku=341843

It's cheaper than the lanbox and corsair psu combo, plus has more room (just doesn't look as good ). Any gfx card suggestions with this chassis?